Aircraft control



April 16, 1946.

E. SEEFERT AIRCRAFT CONTROL Filed Dec. g, 1945" 5 Shets-Sheet 1 Trad6887f? By and 5 Attorneys April 1946- F. E. SEIFERT 2,398,601

' AIRCRAFT CONTROL Filed Dec. 2, 1943 s ShetsSheet 2 .%Z4 V I Inventorfredlf! efrf' nor/W m April 16, 1946; E sE|FERT V 2,398,601

. AIRCRAFT CONTROL File'd Dec. 2, 1945 :s Sheets-Sheet '5 WWW PatentedApr. 16, 1946 thirty-three and one-thirdnper. cent to Ed: I. Kelley, andfifteen penccnt to A; Earle-Weatherwax Application December 2, 1943,Serial No. 512,607

1 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in controls forheavier-than-air flying machines, particularly airplanes, and has forits primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, amechanical apparatus comprising a novel construction, combination andarrangement, whereby the present coordination required between the handsand the feet of the pilot is completely eliminated.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an aircraft control of theaforementioned character which will be comparatively simple inconstruction, strong, durable, highly efficient and reliable inomration, compact, light in weight, and which may be manufactured andinstalled at low cost.

All of the foregoing, and still further objects and advantages of theinvention, will become apparent from a study of the followingspecification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an aircraft control constructed inaccordance with the present invention, a portion of the wheel beingbroken away.

Figure 2 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through the rearportion of the apparatus.

Figure 3 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through the forwardportion of the apparatus with parts omitted.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken substantially on the line 44of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a top plan'view with parts omitted.

Figure '6 is a cross-sectional view through the forward portion of thedevice.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that theembodiment of the apparatus which has been illustrated comprises atransverse rockable shaft I. Fixed on the shaft I is a bell crank lever2. The bell crank lever 2 is to be operatively connected in any suitablemanner to the elevator of the airplane or other craft. Also fixed on theshaft I is a tubular post 3 having a bearing 4 on its upper end. Acomparatively short shaft 5 is journaled in the bearing 4 and has fixedthereon a sprocket gear 6. A chain 1 is trained over the sprocket gear6. Cables 8 are connected, at one end, to the ends of the chain 1', Thecables 8 pass under guide pulleys 9 on the shaft I and are operativelyconnected to the usual ailerons of the machine.

Mounted for vertical swinging movement on the upper portion of the post3 is a tubular housing Ill. The tubular housing I0 is connected to thepost 3,by a hinge structure II. The hinge structure I I includes pairsof pivotally connected brackets I2 and I3 which are fixed, respectively,on the housing I0 and the post 3. A shaft I4 is journaled in the housingII). A suitable universal joint I5 operatively connects the shaft I4 tothe shaft 5.

Mounted on the rear end portion of the housing I0 is a pair of bracketsI6. Pivotally mounted between the rear end portions of the brackets I6is a ball bearing IT. The bearing I1 includes inner and outer races I8and I9; respectively, with balls 2|] therebetween.

Fixed in the inner race I8 of the bearing ll is a tubular coupling 2|. Astub shaft 22 projects into .the coupling 2| and is secured therein by apin 23. A hand wheel 24 is fixed on the rear end portion of the shaft22. A suitable universal joint 25 operatively connects the shaft 22 atits forward end to the shaft I4.

An arm 26 projects laterally from the outer race I9 of the bearing IT. Alink 21 has one end pivotally connected to the arm 26. The other end ofthe link 21 is pivotally connected to one end of a bell crank lever 28which is pivotally mounted on one side of the hinge structure II. A link29 operatively connects the bell crank lever 28 to a bell crank lever 30on the post 3. Cables 3| operatively connect the bell crank lever 30 tothe usual rudders of the craft.

It is thought that the operation of the apparatus will be readilyapparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, to operate theailerons, the wheel 24 is rotated to turn the shafts 22, I4 and 5,thereby actuating the chain I and the cables 8. To operate the rudders,the wheel 24 with the shaft 22 and. the assembly thereon are swunglaterally on the bracket I6 for actuating the cables 3| through themembers 26 to 30, inclusive. To operate the elevator, the wheel 24 ispushed forwardly or pulled rearwardly for rocking the shaft I with thebell crank lever 2 thereon. The construction and arrangement, it will beobserved, is such that the control surfaces of the craft may be actuatedin unison or independently of each other. Further, the pilot mayaccomplish this with one or both hands, leaving both feet free. A

It is believed that the many advantages of an aircraft controlconstructed in accordance with the present invention will be readilyunderstood, and although a preferred embodiment of the apparatus is asillustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in thedetails of shaft to the ailerons, a tubular housing, a hinge structurepivotally connectingthe housing to the post for vertical swingingmovement,. a shaft journaled in said housing and 'operatively conders.

nected to the second-named shaft, a bearing mounted for swingingmovement on the housing, a shaft journaled in said bearing andoperatively connected to the third-named shaft, 2. wheel fixed on thefourth-named shaft, a bell crank lever pivotally mounted on the hingestructure, a link operatively connecting the bearing to said bell cranklever, a bell crank lever mounted on the post, a link operativelyconnecting the firstnamed bell crank lever to the second-named bellcrank lever, and cables operatively connecting said second-named bellcrank lever to the rud- FRED. E. SEIFERT.

